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The Difference Engine
The Difference Engine was created so that absolutely perfect mathematical tables could be achieved. In the 19th Century, a man named Charles Babbage's creates a design for the first automatic computing machine. The Difference Engine was fully mechanical, however due to the complexity of the machine and the technology of that time made it impossible for Charles Babbage to ever actually make the Difference Engine. -
The Tabulating Machine
In the 1880’s, a statistician for the United States Census bureau named Herman Hollerith created the Tabulating Machine. Used in the 1890 U.S. Census, this machine made it easier to calculate a census. The Tabulating machine rapidly sorted and analyzed information recorded on punched cards. When punching holes into record cards, information like age or gender could be represented. The machine would then quickly sort the punch cards. -
Harvard Mark I
The Harvard Mark I or ASCC, designed by Harvard University professor Howard Aiken, “was a parallel synchronous calculator that could perform table lookup and the four fundamental arithmetic operations, in any specified sequence, on numbers up to 23 decimal digits in length.” The machine was 78 adding machines and calculators linked together, had 765,000 parts, 3,300 relays, and amazingly 500 miles of wire and around 175,000 connections, and were used in WWII. -
ENIAC
The ENIAC (Electric Numerical Integer and Computer) was created by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert and “The ENIAC was the first computer built to take full advantage of electronic processing speeds and to ‘think’ using conditional branching and nested subroutines.” The ENIAC was digital, electronic, and programmable, and is considered the first modern computer. It could perform 5,000 additions per second, or 333 multiplications however, it used 1,800sq.ft. of floor space. -
SSEC
IBM´s SSEC (Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator) was completed in two years, designed by Columbia Professor Wallace Eckert. The computer was completely electronic. Most importantly “It enabled Wallace Eckert to publish a lunar ephemeris ... of greater accuracy than previously available... the source of data used in man's first landing on the moon" The computer was used to calculate the flight to the moon. -
EDSAC
The EDSAC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator) was created by Maurice Wilkes and, was the first practical stored-program computer. It was first used on 6th May 1949. The computer was used by students at Cambridge University Mathematical Laboratory, England. The computer revolutionized stored programs. -
TX-0
Built by MIT researchers headed by Kenneth Olsen, the TX-0 (Transistorized eXperimental computer zero) is “an experimental high-speed digital computer for testing transistor circuitry and very large magnetic core memory.” The computer had a built-in cathode-ray tube display and was operators could interact with programs while running. The TX-0 had a 64K Ram memory which made it one of the powerful computers of its day. -
SAGE
In 1958, the SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) connected hundreds of radar stations in the United States and Canada. The computer had 55,000 vacuum tubes, 175,000 diodes and 13,000 transistors. The SAGE is widely thought as the first large-scale communication network. -
PDP-8
Digital Equipment Corp introduced the PDP-8(Programed Data Processor-8), the first commercially successful minicomputer. The reason the PDP-8 was so successful was that it was first viable alternative to mainframe computers which means that it could be used for a number of uses for different types of business. The PDP-8 was also successful because of its simple design and low cost. The computer had a memory of 4,096 twelve-bits. -
Apollo Guidance Computer
The Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) was one of the most compact computers of its day. Designed by MIT, the machine measured 24 by 12.5 by 6 inches, weighed 70.1 pounds, and required 70 watts at 28 volts DC. When used on Apollo mission like Apollo 11 the AGC would be housed in the Command Module. Using keyboard units, astronauts could communicate with the computer continuously. -
Kenbak-1
The Kenbak-1 was the first personal computer. Designed by John V. Blankenbaker, it ran on standard medium-scale and small-scale integrated circuits, but only had 256-byte memory, and was a stored program computer. However, only 40 of these machines were ever built. -
Alto
The Xerox Alto, designed by Charles was the first work station with a built-in mouse for input. The Alto had a mouse, removable data storage, Networking, a visual user interface, easy-to-use graphics software, printing, and E-mail. The Alto was the first computer to have all the features on a relatively small computer. The Alto was a very “user friendly’ computer with software that even children could use and understand. -
Osborne 1
The Osborne I is considered the true first portable computer, designed by Adam Osborne the computer only weighed 24 pounds. It has a 64K RAM with a 5"moniter. The Osborne I has a carrying handle, it closes up for protection, has an optional battery unit or plug in. The computer’s small screen does limit the amount of information that can be displayed. The Osborne I was a huge success. -
Lisa
Apple introduced its Lisa (Local Integrated Software Architecture). The Lisa was first personal computer with a graphical user interface. “Prior to the Lisa, all computers were text based - you typed commands on the keyboard to make the system respond. Now, with the Lisa, you just point-and-click at tiny pictures on the screen with a small rolling device called a 'mouse'.” The Lisa made a huge advancement in user friendly computer systems. -
Titan Supercomputer
Many computer companies have tried to make the most powerful computers since computers have been invented. That spot currently belongs to the Titan computer. Titan is the fastest, most powerful, and most energy-efficient of a new generation of supercomputers. The Titan is currently at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, and is able to do 3 million calculations per second, and has 17.59 petaflop memory.
